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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26673610">Midnight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyfreewithme776/pseuds/flyfreewithme776'>flyfreewithme776</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Septimus Heap - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 13:07:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,042</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26673610</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyfreewithme776/pseuds/flyfreewithme776</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Septimus comes home late again, and when Marcia here’s why, they have an important conversation.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Midnight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi everyone! I wrote this for the 2020 Sepheap week, Day five, prompt midnight. Technically, it’s late, but I hope you enjoy. Sorry about the terrible summary!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn't until midnight that Marcia rose from her vigil by the window.<br/>   Septimus was late — again. He'd promise to be home before midnight. He'd promised, after the last time he'd been late coming home from seeing his family, and again when he'd left earlier that day to see Rose. <br/>   The annoyed tippy-tapping of Marcia's shoes clacked on linoleum as she entered the kitchen to prepare herself a cup of tea. The actions of putting the kettle on were comforting, grounding. She'd never liked to do this solitary task with Magyk. <br/>   Over the whistling of the teakettle, she heard movement from the foyer. Hurrying out of the kitchen, she was relieved to see Septimus's green tunic swish as he closed the door behind him. <br/>   "Where have you been?" she called, irritated. "You said you'd be home over half an hour ago."<br/>   He looked tired. His eyes were shadowed, his skin very pale and his hair a little disheveled from who-knew-what activity. Served him right for being late. He could deal with the consequences.<br/>   "Technically," Septimus bit out, "I don't have a curfew. I'm senior Apprentice, remember?"<br/>   "No, Septimus, you don't have a curfew," she snapped. "But I thought we had come to an agreement years ago that I don't want you wandering in at odd hours of the night, especially not with your lessons tomorrow. It's not respectful." Then she added, "And you'll cut the attitude right now if you know what's good for you."<br/>   "Marcia, can we talk about this in the morning? I've had a long night, and I'm really tired."<br/>   "And I've had a long night waiting up for you. Maybe you'll think of both of our Sanities when you decide to show up late again."<br/>   "No, really," Septimus sighed, stepping past her. "I can't do this tonight."<br/>   She grabbed his sleeve before he could get past and looked at him — really looked. He didn't seem just tired; he seemed sad, too. "What's wrong?" she asked, tone softening.<br/>   "It's nothing," Septimus said, not meeting her eyes. "Just some stuff."<br/>   "Just some stuff," Marcia said, unamused. She steered him onto the couch and took a seat in her favorite armchair. "What's going on?" she asked again, "for real this time."<br/>   Septimus fidgeted, staring at his hands, then at the fire. She waited, trying not to grow impatient. One thing she had learned from living with Septimus was that he would talk when he found the right words.<br/>   "It's just some stuff with Rose," Septimus muttered. "We've been arguing a lot, and today... Well—er... I found out that—that she cheated on me, and I don't know if I should stay with her."<br/>   The air whooshed straight out of her chest. "Oh."<br/>   "Yeah."<br/>   "You need to leave her," Marcia said after a moment, firmly. <br/>   "I know," Septimus whispered, dropping his head into his hands. "I don't want to."<br/>   "I know," Marcia said, choosing her words carefully, "but if she did it once, she'll do it again."<br/>   "She's been doing it for a month now, apparently," Septimus said bitterly. <br/>   Marcia opened her mouth, closed it, and groaned internally. She really wasn't the best with helping people and their emotional problems. Magykal, she could handle. "Who did she cheat with?"<br/>   "Foxy."<br/>   "How are you feeling about it?" she asked, then regretted it immediately. She sounded like a therapist. It was the completely wrong thing to say, because of course she knew how he felt: like shit. Like someone had stabbed him through the heart and twisted it for good measure. She knew because she'd gone through the same thing, once upon a time.<br/>   "Septimus," she said slowly. "Did I ever tell you that I've, er, I've been in your position?"<br/>   He looked up at her, surprise momentarily taking the place of pain in his eyes. "No," he said. "What—when—"<br/>   "A long time ago," Marcia waved a hand dismissively. "I'm over it."<br/>   "What—what happened?"<br/>   "We were dating for a few months, but he went..." How could she do this without revealing the identity of the person she was talking about? "Somewhere, and when he came back, I saw him and his other lover greet each other in a way that was a bit too friendly."<br/>   "Milo? And Cerys?"<br/>   "How did you know?"<br/>   "Jenna heard somewhere that you and Milo had history."<br/>   She noticed the disdain in his tone when he spoke the sailor's name. "Listen." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and looking at him intently. "Milo and I are on good terms now. We were both young and stupid back then, so I don't want your opinion of him to be altered now that you know this. He's a good man, overall, and he's your sister's father." He opened his mouth to say something, but she went on quickly. "I only shared that story to show you that you're not alone in this. I've been through the same thing. It hurts, doesn't it?"<br/>   "Yeah," Septimus let out a humorless laugh. "It does. I don't ever want to see her again."<br/>   She reached out and took one of his hands in her own. "I wish you didn't have to either, but that's just part of, well—" She Smiled a little, "—adulting, I suppose. We just have to carry on."<br/>   "How did you do it?" He looked away, a vulnerability in his eyes she rarely saw.<br/>   "Alther," she said. "He helped me understand, to see things in a more positive light. And, that's what you'll have to do, Septimus. Eventually, you'll see you're worth more than what she could see."<br/>   "I feel like I failed her, somehow. I've been busy and not spending as much time with her lately, so maybe that's why she moved on, found someone else to give her what she needed."<br/>   "No," Marcia said firmly. "That is no excuse. Nothing you could have done would make you deserving of that kind of betrayal from someone who is supposed to keep your heart safe." <br/>   He only nodded, his eyes oddly bright. She gave his hand a squeeze. "You'll be okay," she said brusquely. "I'll see to that. Now, let's go have some tea in the kitchen. I put the kettle on just before you got home."</p>
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